That’s the same question developers face when designing pinball games. The release of The Pinball Hall of Fame and its stellar sequel proved that with the right engine, hardware (Wii, PS2 or PSP), and real-world physics and mechanics, pinball can make the leap from reality to video games.

But if one developer can pull it off, does that mean others can as well?

At first glance, Dream Pinball 3D is a flashy and high-tech. After taking a closer look, you’ll instantly spot the similarities between it and the Pinball Hall of Fame series. But unlike those famed products, Dream Pinball 3D wasn’t created with any particular pinball table in mind. Rather, its development was driven by the world’s overall love of pinball machines.

This led to the formation of six fantasy pinball tables: Knight Tournament, Monsters, Aquatic, Dino Wars, Spinning Rotors and Amber Moon. Do not confuse these tables for game modes – despite the “tournament” and “wars” monikers, these are merely the names of tables. As you’ll quickly discover, there aren’t any game modes to speak of – just six tables to select and play.

No goals are provided. No missions are listed. No rewards are announced. Upon selecting one of the tables, the game loads and you’re off to flipper land. You can tap the minus button to get an extremely long list of paragraphs, each of which outlines certain elements of the game (multi-balls, point bonuses, etc.). But like the real game of pinball, you’re not expected to achieve anything. You can come and go at your leisure.

If that’s what you’re looking for, Dream Pinball 3D might seem like the perfect game. But if you wanted more of a video game experience, with goals, challenges, and a significant reward for completing them, this isn’t the game to get.

However, there are other things to consider. Though there are six different tables, most gamers won’t be able to tell the difference. The visuals between them are only slightly different (and look very grainy and washed out on a high-def TV). Each table’s layout is extremely similar. You have ramps and rails flowing through the sides and middle of each table; quirky (and often annoying) sound effects; walls and floor points to highlight; and other pinball table trademarks. Upon moving from one table to the next, you don’t really get the sense that you’re taking on another challenge. Instead, it feels like you’re playing a rehash of the table you just finished.

And what is the definition of “finished” anyway? To most gamers, it’s when the “mission complete” message appears. But without any specific goals in mind, you won’t get any such message.

Mechanically, Dream Pinball 3D isn’t half-bad. If the Pinball Hall of Fame didn’t exist, this would be the closest a game has come to emulating a real pinball machine. In spite of that accomplishment, the mechanics are still very flawed. Flipper animations are limited to just two frames – the stationary position and the upward position. From the start, this makes the game feel very cheap. Worse yet, the ball doesn’t feel right. Whether normal or enhanced with some additional property (such as marble or steel), Dream Pinball 3D plays like a knock-off – not like a real pinball machine.

Seven different camera angles are offered, all of which try to impersonate those featured in the Pinball Hall of Fame titles. Some follow your ball wherever it goes – others stay put in a wide-angle view.

hAt all times, players can get a score update by glancing at the bottom left corner of the screen. Score details appear there throughout the entire game. And yet, if you press the B button, the game awkwardly tilts upward to show you the scoring details – the same scoring details – displayed on the top of the pinball table. Not only is this completely useless, but by tilting the camera upward, you won’t be able to see where your ball is moving across the table.

Unfortunately, you probably won’t care. Without an ultimate goal in mind, you won’t be urged to continue. And with boring tables and annoying sound effects, you’ll be glad you don’t have to.